The present invention relates to a tread design for a pneumatic tire of radial construction for high-speed vehicles, with the tire having a height-to-width ratio of .ltoreq.0.6. These vehicle tires have a belt-reinforced tread portion with a tread design that is tied to the direction of rotation. The tread design comprises profiled elements that are steeply oriented in the circumferential direction at an angle to the equatorial plane of the tire and are arranged in the shape of V's, with the tips of the V's facing in the direction of normal travel of the tire. The profiled elements extend in a continuous manner from the central portion of the tread into shoulder regions of the tire, with the profiled elements being angled-off at a bend region in the shoulder regions in a direction that is more or less parallel to the axis of the tire. Respective continuous inclined grooves are formed between the profiled elements and proceed from the central portion of the tread to the shoulder regions, with these inclined grooves being steeply oriented in the central portion of the tread relative to the equatorial plane of the tire, and in the shoulder region being oriented in the direction of the axis of the tire.
Tread designs are known where continuous inclined grooves extend from the shoulder regions of the tire to the central portion of the tread, where they end in a blind manner. Tread designs are also known where the inclined grooves of one half of the tread are connected with the inclined grooves of the other half of the tread in the central portion of the tire. With wide tires where the inclined grooves are arranged in the shape of V's, in order to have an effective drainage and to prevent aquaplaning during a braking operation, it is expedient to provide a steep orientation of the inclined grooves in the circumferential direction. At the same time, continuous drainage via the inclined grooves into the open shoulder regions of the tire should be ensured. Furthermore, for reasons of wear and noise emission at high vehicle speeds, not only in the central portion but also in the shoulder regions wide tires should have a relatively high positive profile proportion in the form of profiled elements. The tread profile should be such that the requirements for low wear and a low noise level can also be fulfilled.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to embody and dispose the profiled elements in the shoulder regions of the tire in such a way that it is possible to achieve an effective drainage, a relatively high resistance to skidding in the wet, and a relatively quiet operation, as well as a uniform and low wear over the width of the tread.